white dwarf
Plural
white dwarfs
1
a small, dense, and faint stellar remnant that is left after a medium-sized star exhausts the nuclear fuel in its core and undergoes gravitational collapse
- A white dwarf is the final stage in the life cycle of a sun-like star after it has exhausted its nuclear fuel.
- The gravitational collapse of the star causes it to become a compact and Earth-sized white dwarf.
- White dwarfs have extremely high densities, with mass comparable to that of the Sun but condensed into a smaller volume.
- The intense heat generated during a star's collapse results in the white dwarf glowing with residual thermal energy.
- Although small, white dwarfs can be quite hot, emitting radiation across a broad spectrum including visible light.
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